No, Social Justice Isn't an Enemy of Evangelism

Do social justice efforts sap energy or motivation from proclaiming the gospel? Though that's been an often repeated objection to evangelical emphasis on common good concerns, a recent study from Barna answers with an emphatic "no."

Barna's David Kinnaman sees strong signs of life in contemporary attitudes toward evangelism, especially among Millennials, who are often negatively stereotyped as passive about vocalizing their faith. But in fact, the percentage of Millennials committed to sharing their faith is significantly higher than previous generations—Boomers, Busters, or Elders.

From Barna:

""One way to understand this trend is that there are proportionally fewer born again and evangelical Christians among Millennials than is true among older generations," Kinnaman says. "So part of the explanation may be that those who remain committed to these theological perspectives are all the more motivated to make a 'case' for their faith among their peers. In other words, in the middle of a generation defined by their religious indifference, these Millennial evangelists stand in stark contrast. This trend of younger evangelists should be a source of encouragement to faith leaders.

"Still, it should be troubling to Christian leaders," Kinnaman continues, "that evangelism is on the decline among key demographics, especially among Busters and Boomers who make up nearly two out of three active Christians today."

Many excellent views on evangelism trends here. It's clear that sharing the faith is not going "out of style."